Three women authors will talk about their books of fiction and answer questions about them at The Society for the Arts’ 11th “Luncheon with the Authors” to benefit the Allentown Art Museum, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 10, Renaissance Allentown Hotel, 12 N. Seventh St., Allentown.

There’s a new event, “Cocktails with the Authors,” 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 9, Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown.

Co-chairs of the events Ashley Ford and Sera Duffy describe the growth of the Society Of The Arts (SOTA) fundraiser.

“The cocktails event is similar to the luncheon. It gives people who are not available on a weekday afternoon a chance to meet the authors,” says Ford. “It is more intimate, with about 50 people, and includes a docent tour of the gallery.”

Docents are tour guides, one of the many functions that are provided by SOTA members, which includes everything from scraping walls and ceilings and cleaning to running children’s programs. “If the museum is open, there is probably a SOTA person there,” says Duffy.

This year’s luncheon, moderated by SOTA secretary Patti Romig, at the Renaissance Allentown Hotel will allow it to expand to around 250 participants. Previous years have seen tickets sell out a couple of days after the event is announced. Even this year, most of the tickets have already been sold.

Duffy remembers the camaraderie among the authors: “Authors who never met form a sudden bond and share thoughts with themselves and the audience on how they began to write.”

“You can see the differences in how they work,” says Ford, adding, “There is a range within storytelling and how each of them tell a story.

“The number one criterion for picking our books is a great story that moves everybody,” Ford says.

A reading committee for SOTA chooses the books. The authors are contacted to see which of them is willing to drive in for two days to give talks about their work.

“One of the books is topical,” says Duffy, “since there is a current campaign by the museum to purchase two Tiffany windows.”

“The Tiffany Girls,” by Shelly Noble, takes place in 1899 and involves women who are working on the design and construction of Tiffany glass windows to be shown at the Paris World’s Fair.

“Mercury,” by Amy Jo Burns, is about 17-year-old Marley West who is moving into the town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, in 1990. She marries into a family which is struggling to survive.

“The Wishing Game,” by Meg Shaffer, is about a contest for a book that Lucy Hart has entered. Lucy wants to win so that she can adopt a seven-year-old orphan.

All three books will be available for purchase and signing at each event.

“SOTA is sponsoring ‘Sotatoberfest’ on October 18, an Oktoberfest-type event featuring a local brewery,” says Ford. It will take place at Hijinx Brewery, Allentown. She says there are also plans for a kitchen tour of various houses.

In the past, SOTA held a “Show House” for fundraising. Ford says it is difficult to find an appropriate location, but the association hopes to have another one in 2027.

Information: www.sotapa.org

“Literary Scene” is a column about authors, books and publishing. To equest coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com